Golden broth with peas, cucumbers, and yellow peppers

When I had my first sip of this soup my brain said “rasam". I read the introduction to this soup, which is derived from a recipe from Yamuna Devi! The Indian flavours are tamed (just a touch) and made contemporary with barely cooked vegetables. Deborah Madison is another master in the kitchen. Bright, light and healthy, this soup is all that and then some. The barely cooked vegetables and rice add some texture to this excellent broth. Please stay light on the spices; this is a delicate and flavorful broth. Yes, it is worthwhile to make the stock, it is easy, this stock makes this soup. However, if you insist on being lazy, use a commercial vegetable or chicken broth that is diluted down. The long list of ingredients are not an indicator of how easy this soup is to make, don’t be intimidated by this. This is a wonderful cookbook that specialises in soups for all seasons. Deborah Madison is one of the first chefs to start the farm-to-table movement in the Bay Area, and her recipes reflect her expertise with vegetables and fresh produce. I have a number of her wonderful cookbooks, each one a masterpiece. This book made me fall in love with soups and taught me how to make a great one.

For more wonderful soup recipes from this cookbook, click here. 

Ingredients:

For the stock:

2 ribs of celery, diced

2 carrots, roughly diced

2 scallions

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 cloves

10 peppercorns

1 cup tomatoes, diced

Salt to taste

The trimmings and scraps from the vegetables, including pepper stalks, seeds and ribs, cucumber skins, carrot tops, and any other scraps, should be included.

A few stems of cilantro

A few stems of mint

A few stems of parsley

10 cups of water

For the soup:

2 carrots, cut into thin batons

1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and cut into thin strips

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/4 teaspoon paprika or ground chili powder

1 large cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 tablespoon mint , minced

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

1/2 teaspoon green chili, finely minced

2-3 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup cooked rice

Yoghurt, whipped smooth (optional)

To make the stock:

Add all the ingredients for the stock and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the solids from the stock, pressing the liquids with a spatula to extract as much as possible. You should have at least 8 cups; if less, add water to make up the volume.

To make the soup:

While the stock is simmering, prepare the vegetables for the soup. Add the oil to a deep stock pot that will hold the entire soup, and add the ingredients from the carrots to the chilli powder. Sauté on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Set aside if the stock is not ready.

Add the cucumbers and the stock and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute. By this time, the cucumbers should look transparent. Take off the heat and add the green chillies and minced herbs. Stir well. Taste and adjust for salt. The soup should pop with flavour, and the vegetables should be just cooked through, not falling apart.

Serve warm or hot, topped with a heaping tablespoon of rice and a dollop of yoghurt.